The Prediction of Submarine Officer Advanced Course Ascendancy from Subscreen Test Scores

Abstract

The Department of the Navy (DON) began a Human Capital Strategy (HCS) agenda in 2004 and incorporated this agenda into its objectives for 2005. The HCS agenda advances several pursuits, including attempts to (1) decrease overall manpower costs within the DON while improving effectiveness, (2) implement an integrated organizational approach to career progression/advancement, and (3) establish actionable metrics to accomplish these goals. One way the Submarine Force (SUBFOR) could meet the HCS agenda would be to select fewer officers for submarine training, which would reduce manpower costs. However, in order to avoid a subsequent manpower shortage from this force reduction and thus maintain operational effectiveness, SUBFOR would need to have an actionable metric, or predictor, that would allow for the selection of those officers for submarine training who are the most likely to remain and advance within SUBFOR. This study investigated whether or not the SUBSCREEN test could be used to provide a predictor of advancement among officers within SUBFOR. SUBSCREEN is a 240-item test of mental health functioning, motivation, and environmental adaptability used to evaluate the psychological fitness of Naval personnel for submarine training and duty. Using correlation and regression techniques, we found that six motivational scales and one response-set scale within the SUBSCREEN test formed an optimal linear composite that predicted which Submarine Officer Basic Course (SOBC) students were likely to advance, approximately seven years later, to the Submarine Officer Advanced Course (SOAC), with R = .25 (p < .001). Several advantageous initial cutpoints were identified for this prediction equation, which was termed the Submarine Officer Retention Test, or SORT. In the future, the SORT, and the motivational traits that comprise the SORT, could be used as actionable metrics that enhance officer selection decisions for submarine training.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 28, 2005
Accession Number
ADA593523

Entities

People

  • Alison America
  • Jerry Lamb
  • Mark N. Bing
  • Rick Severinghaus

Organizations

  • Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Applied Psychology
  • Biomedical Research
  • Employment
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Equal Employment Opportunity
  • Management Personnel
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Personnel
  • Motor Skills
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Students
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Undersea Warfare
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.